From Malta, the Shards sail north through the notorious Strait of Messina navigating the strong currents featured in Homer's "Odyssey". They face headwinds on their way to the Aeolian Islands and eventually arrive at the island of Vulcano. There they swim in bubbling hot seawater from the volcano, dive on underwater bubbling gas vents, relax in healing mud pools and climb to the top of the island's steaming crater where their path is blocked by vents of toxic gas.